Saskatoon's Gavin Schmitt retires from Canadian national team

Saskatoon native Gavin Schmidt will no longer represent Canada in international competition, citing injuries and a need to focus on his professional game.

“It is no secret that I have battled injuries over the past few years, and I would really like to get over the ones that ailed me all summer and get through this season,” Schmidt said in a statement from Volleyball Canada.

Schmitt has played professionally in Greece, France, Turkey, Russia, and South Korea and will continue with his professional career in Poland.

The 6’10, 30-year-old has been playing for Canada since 2007, winning a bronze medal at the 2015 Pan-Am games along the way. Schmidt says qualifying for the 2016 Olympics is his most prized memory from the national team.

“Sitting in the room with my teammates and finding out we had qualified for the Olympics is probably the most unforgettable emotional experience I have had in my playing career.”